By Jamie Haugen | Marketing & Communications Specialist
School on Wheels: Project Impact Report, FY 25/26 (July 2025 – June 2026)
Education Is for Everyone
School on Wheels provides free one-on-one tutoring and educational support to school-aged children and youth experiencing homelessness across six Southern California counties: Los Angeles, Orange, Ventura, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino, and Riverside. Children without stable housing often fall behind because of frequent school moves and a lack of educational stability. Thanks to the generosity of our GlobalGiving supporters, we have been able to give these students something they are often missing: a consistent, caring adult who believes in them. Last school year, we provided tutoring and mentoring to 1,501 students living in shelters, motels, vehicles, on the street, and in group homes.
Our Impact by the Numbers
This year, 1,181 trained volunteer tutors delivered 13,658 one-on-one tutoring sessions, both online and in person. Of the 1,501 students we served, 653 K–4 students participated in our Literacy Program, 440 strengthened their reading and math skills through our Academic Program, and 184 high school students were supported through our BUS (Believe. Understand. Succeed.) Program. The remaining students received tutoring and support outside of these specific programs. We distributed 2,500 backpacks filled with school supplies, provided 243 laptops and Chromebooks, and awarded 89 scholarships totaling $40,000. We also invested $16,000 in financial literacy and Universal Basic Income programming. Most importantly, 90% of students who remained engaged with our program graduated from high school, a result that shows what consistent support can do. Across the organization, we raised more than $3 million in cash and in-kind donations.
A Student Story
A program like this can be life-changing for a child. We'd like to tell you about one of our students. He is only five years old, and when we met him he was staying at a family shelter, in a place that was strange to him, with people he didn't know.
Week after week, our tutors met with him. They practiced letters with him, played Spot It! and Tag, and shared a lot of laughter. Slowly, he began to relax. Soon, he was looking forward to their visits.
For a young child living with so much uncertainty, those weekly visits offered more than help with schoolwork. They gave him a familiar routine, a chance to build confidence, and caring adults who always showed up. Our tutors helped create a space where this little boy could learn, laugh, feel supported, and simply be a child.
Challenges and Looking Ahead
The funding landscape is shifting. Budget reductions across government agencies and partner organizations have created uncertainty even as demand for our services grows. In addition, heightened concerns about immigration enforcement have led some families to avoid services out of fear, making it harder to reach the children who need us. Despite these obstacles, we remain committed to ensuring that every child experiencing homelessness has access to the educational support and relationships they need.
How Your Support Makes a Difference
Every gift to this project goes directly toward weekly tutoring, scholarships, educational technology, literacy materials, school supplies, and the recruitment and training of volunteer tutors. For example, $10,000 helps a high school student stay on the path to graduation, and $25,000 supports approximately 50 students for a full year. Thank you for helping us show that education is for everyone, and that a child's circumstances don't have to determine their future.
Thank you for supporting our mission to make educational success equally accessable for everyone.
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By Sinead Chilton | Chief Development and Marketing Officer
By Sinead Chilton | Chief Development and Marketing Officer
Project reports on GlobalGiving are posted directly to globalgiving.org by Project Leaders as they are completed, generally every 3-4 months. To protect the integrity of these documents, GlobalGiving does not alter them; therefore you may find some language or formatting issues.
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